13/08/2025
President Bola Tinubu’s Federal Executive Council has approved a seven-year ban on establishing new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education in Nigeria.
Education Minister Tunji Alausa said the move addresses the over-proliferation of institutions, underutilized capacity, poor infrastructure, and overstretched manpower.
Current issues: Many tertiary schools have very low or zero student enrollment despite high staffing levels, leading to wasted resources.
Statistics: Nigeria has 72 federal, 108 state, and 159 private universities; similar excess exists in polytechnics and colleges of education. Some universities had fewer than 99 applicants in recent years; some had none.
Government plan: Redirect resources to upgrade and expand existing institutions to improve quality and capacity.
Exception: Nine new private universities were approved to clear long-pending applications, but the moratorium will now also apply to private institutions going forward.
Goal: Improve educational standards, ensure sustainability, and maintain the global respect of Nigerian graduates.
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